Like a thief in the night bible1/26/2024 North has become well-known for a popular series on the Book of Revelation, which he has presented hundreds of times throughout the United States and around the world. He has also been a frequent lectureship speaker, served as a local minister, and has been an elder for more than thirty years at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Stafford North is a distinguished professor of Bible at Oklahoma Christian University, where he has taught for more than half a century. Like a Thief in the Night serves as an excellent companion study to North's book, Unlocking Revelation, and contains teaching outlines for each chapter. What and when are the "last days"? - What does the Bible teach about the end of time? - Do Old Testament prophets predict an earthly reign of Christ? Will it last a thousand years? - Will there be a rapture? - Are there signs which signal the coming of the end of time? - Do Bible prophets foretell of a great war just before the end of the world? - Will one or two antichrists plunge the earth into that final war? Drawing from a lifetime of study, North explores biblical teaching about the last days, Book of Revelation and second-coming of Christ, while addressing many of the popular end times theories and myths. Stafford North answers many common questions about the end of time. The chief sign was the return of Israel as a nation, which is hinted at by Jesus when he mentions the budding of the fig tree in Luke 21 above, but this idea is also found in many Old Testament verses and they are quite explicit.Dr. And if you have been watching, then you already know that we are currently seeing events in the world around us that match very closely the conditions we were warned to watch for. Therefore, I would submit that the only way to avoid being surprised by the coming judgment, which is coming “like a thief in the night,” is to be watching for the signs of the times that Jesus, the prophets, and Apostles warned us about in the Scriptures. But stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:29-36 (emphasis added) “ But be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. While the wording Jesus used in this passage is different from what Paul said, the meaning is entirely in agreement.Īnd He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees: as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near. It’s always good to establish a truth with two or more witnesses, so I will submit another passage of scripture to back up this point. Noah was not surprised by the flood, but everyone who was not on the ark was taken by surprise. In the same way, the main idea of this passage could have been applied to Noah and his family in their time, i.e. So what is the most common sense and obvious way to understand this passage? Only those not watching as Jesus commanded will be taken by surprise. We are not of night nor of darkness so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief for you are all sons of light and sons of day. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. Nevertheless, let me show you from scripture why I would want to say that, in order to back up my statement, and then we can discuss this topic a little further. To which, I generally want to respond, “You are in error, because you don’t know the scriptures…” But even though Jesus made statements like that to the Pharisees, it doesn’t feel like we can get away with speaking like that these days, so I am generally much more diplomatic. Posted on Decemby Christian Widener, Ph.D.Ībout half the time that I begin a conversation with someone about Bible prophecy, who is not already a prophecy watcher, I hear something like, “But, you know, Jesus will come just like a thief in the night, so we really can’t know when he’s coming back.”
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